In a finding that directly challenges the sanctions imposed on North Korea, a United Nations (UN) report revealed strong evidence that Russia has used North Korean ballistic missiles in the war with Ukraine, violating the arms embargo in force since 2006.
According to the 32-page document presented to the UN Security Council’s North Korea sanctions committee, the remains of a missile that hit the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on January 2 belonged to a Hwasong series ballistic missile. -11, made in North Korea.
This finding confirms previous accusations made by Ukraine, the United States and South Korea, who had reported that Russia was receiving military supplies from authoritarian countries such as Iran and North Korea for its war against Ukraine. Evidence suggests that North Korea provided Russia with a wide variety of artillery munitions and several short-range ballistic missiles, allegations that both Russia and North Korea have repeatedly denied.
The UN report concludes that the presence of North Korean missile remains on Ukrainian territory violates the arms embargo imposed on North Korea since 2006. This embargo aims to restrict the sale, supply and transfer of weapons to and from Korea of the North, in order to prevent the improvement of its military capabilities and nuclear proliferation.
A team of three UN sanctions observers visited Ukraine earlier this month to examine the missile remains and, while they found no evidence directly linking it to Russia, they were also unable to independently identify the launch site or those involved. responsible for it.
According to observers, the Hwasong-11 series ballistic missiles were first publicly tested by North Korea in 2019. Following the massive Russian attack on January 2, Ukraine had provided documented evidence that Russia used North Korean-made ballistic missiles. in that offensive.
The revelation of the UN report comes against a backdrop of growing international concern over North Korea’s nuclear proliferation and its military cooperation with Russia. In March of this year, Russia vetoed the renewal of a UN panel tasked with overseeing sanctions against North Korea, which had operated for 15 years. This decision was made despite warnings about the threat this collaboration represents to global security.
Ukrainian media such as the military news portal Militarnyi have shared images of the remains of North Korean missiles used in Russian attacks on Kharkiv, including the one on February 7, in which two of the five missiles fired at the city were North Korean-made, according to the regional police.
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